Big [8]

Big tells a story of a boy whose wish to be big/older comes true. We all know what it’s like to wish for something like that without thinking of the consequences and about how much it can change. He just wanted to be taller, so he could get on rides and get the girl. He ends up in a body of a 30 year old (Tom Hanks <3) and has to wait a few months to able to go back home.

This is such a charming film, Tom Hanks plays a totally innocent kid. He had me convinced there was a 13 year old inside that body. He was sweet to everyone; he was always curious and asking questions. He has to go about getting a job and living as a normal adult would while. He gets a dream job, where he comments on, plays with and creates new toys.

He falls in love and falls deeper into the work world, but his best friend brings him back to reality. Josh has to choose between his new life, where he has a girlfriend and a dream job, and his old life, back home with his parents and peers.

To me this is another one of those “be grateful for what you have” films. I mean we’ve all been there wishing for time to speed up, to be older, to fast forward and then end up wishing to go back and relive all those precious moments.

Amélie [7]

Amélie is a sweet, shy waitress who’s tremendously lonely, after her mother’s death her father has been more distant and whenever he comes near her, her heart beats fast, which causes him to think she has a heart defect D; This is a sweet film, Amélie is a puzzle, her mind is all over the place; she finds thrills in the smallest and simplest things in life. She finds something very special and wants to return it to its rightful owner, someone she’s never met, if in return he’s grateful she’ll make it her goal to make those around her happy with little surprises.

The cinematography really stands out in this film, mostly everything is red or green. There’s a hint of a glowing yellow for special moments in the film, sort of like Amélie splashed a bit of magic. The film is in French, with English subtitles, makes me wish I could speak French because it all just sounded so lovely. The world seems so much bigger from Amélie’s eyes, since she’s such a childish, sweet, and curious girl.

The beginning and ending of this film is very fast paced, the middle sort of drags on but overall it’s a wonderful film with a great storyline. We watch Amélie make others smile and play matchmaker. When love is in the cards for her, she shies away. Seems she can push everyone else toward something but not herself. This movie reminds you that you don’t need big flashy things to be happy, the simple things will do; so be grateful for what you have.

The Truman Show [6]

Jim Carrey plays Truman, who is the star of the show he doesn’t even know he’s on. The shows been running since he was born and he didn’t catch on till recently. Everyone around him is a paid actor; he’s never really connected with anyone. He did once but she let his secret loose and the “perfect” world around him got rid of her. He’s feeling out of place, like he’s missing something, he wants to get out of his safe little world and explore. The director of this show won’t have it, he goes to great lengths to make sure that Truman stays inside the huge cage he’s built for him.

It’s sort of a dark comedy, we get all these trippy flashbacks though and I don’t know about you but I started feeling bad for Truman. Once he realizes that nothing around him is real, that everything’s just a lie and he just wants to leave but no one will help him or let him go. He starts catching on to everyone’s “cues,” how his neighbors walk around the block about twenty times a day. Everything works accordingly, synchronized to his every move; it’s really trippy to watch.

Funny thing is that it might be what so many people want, to be praised and watched. Everyone on the outside world is hooked onto his show, they don’t want him to leave either because then they won’t have anything else to do >.> Truman doesn’t want this, he wants to get out there, see the world, feel real things and find the girl he’s in love with.

Jim Carrey really outshines everyone in this film, it’s not one of his hilarious films, this one is deep. There are a few laughs here and there but it’ll get you thinking and wondering. I won’t ruin the ending, its too damn lovely <3.

Sleepless In Seattle [5]

[This is the first movie I write about that I haven’t seen before <3]

I love the Meg Ryan + Tom Hanks duo.  Always have and always will, to me they’re the perfect on screen couple. <3. This is an adorable, corny, silly, funny film. Starts off sad, Sam’s wife had just died and him and his son move away. His son, Jonah calls up a radio talk station and says that his father needs a new wife, Sam ends up talking on the radio and millions of women are listening to him. Annie (Meg Ryan) is one of those women, she’s recently engaged but she doesn’t feel the “magic” everyone’s going on about. She feels all these “signs” and is heavily drawn toward Sam, even though she’s never met him. She feels she’s going crazy and hopes its just cold feet. Goes to lengths to try and talk to Sam but it’s a real corny movie, so a lot happens.

There are a bunch of references to An Affair to Remember, Sam even refers to it as a chick flick, haha.

Anyways, poor Sam thinks he’ll never find love again, that he’ll never feel that magic he did with his wife D; We watch them go through a lot, it’s a really sweet and silly film but if you’re a romantic its worth a watch.

Breakfast Club [4]

This is another John Hughes [Ferris Bueller, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles, Home Alone] masterpiece. Tells the story of a group of kids who end up in detention. They’re all from different cliques and none fit the same stereotype. There’s the princess, jock, rebel, weirdo, and genius. They all want to sort of impress each other, so they lie and put up walls. It’s a beautiful movie because we watch them break down each others’ walls and become friends for a day. They break through the stereotypes and realize how deep they each are. They all have a different problem with their parents and repressed feelings. They start off being jerks to one another and not wanting to be near each other. We watch them judge, laugh at each other, break down, cry, and at each others’ throats. Somehow they rise above it all [with the help of some illegal substance :] and find comfort in one another. They break through the lies and are friends for a day.

They’re all in Saturday detention for a different reason. Some are silly reasons and some are more serious. Their assignment for the day is to write a paper discussing who “they think they are.” You really have to watch it to hear what they came up with, it’s downright lovely. It really shows how much their attitudes changed towards each other and how much more comfortable they are in their own skin.

The thing that bummed me out though was how truthful they were with one another that the princess straight out tells everyone else that this friendship won’t last, because they’re just all too different and she cares too much about her appearance. :/ Truth is harsh but they know it’s just a one day thing, I didn’t want the movie to end, I wanted to know what happened that upcoming Monday.

Pulp Fiction [3]

Been slacking off, sort of vacationed for a week, and I come home and my internet is cut off >.>
Anyways let’s get down to business.

This has to be one of the most awesome movies I’ve ever seen.  I’ve seen it a few times now and it can always drag me in and make me twitch. It’s a Tarantino classic <3. [Tarantino is also is the mastermind behind Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds and Grindhouse; but I’m hoping you already knew that.] It’s sort of like a comic strip that’s not in chronological order. There are different stories that are sort of woven together. The stories within the film revolve around a world with crime, gangsters, fighters, drugs, and robbers. The dialogue is witty and funny. The Casting is also beautiful, there’s John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman and even Tarantino shows up. The storyline has a lot of twists, but then again it has to with such characters. Sort of makes you sad when the movie ends because you won’t get to follow them around anymore.
Travolta is sort of the main character, he follow his bosses orders and get into all kinds of trouble. His story branches out onto others’ lives. Tarantino has such a way with films, I really can’t grasp onto a theme to fit this film. Maybe it’s a “masterpiece without a message” or I’m looking in too deep? But it’s fucking brilliant either way, it differs from other films because it just shocked everyone with how badass it was and still is. We get in real deep with the characters; we sort of understand them and their intentions, even though we’re nothing like them.  It’s a beautiful thing to get dragged into films and forget about yourself for a bit isn’t it?
Mm and the soundtrack is pretty badass too :] So pay attention to that as well <3.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off [2]

Wow you really can't help but smile back at Bueller. I think of this film as one of those "feel-good" movies, whats a plus is that there's nothing dirty in it, its so innocent and simple. Our main character, Bueller just wants to take a day off from school and have a good time, a day that he can look back on after graduation. He's the most popular kid in school, he knows how to favor everyone. There are a few problems along the way, but nothing that he doesn't have a plan for. This guy can keep a smile on his face and doesn't let much get him down. Its a great inspiration since I watch people fall apart over the smallest things all the time. I wonder if anyone can be so level headed nowadays.

This film is rated as the number one teen film, there's no better way to put it. It's a brilliant story, Bueller has a plan for everything that comes his way and seems to get his way with most. He's a different sort of hero, we watch him come to his best friends aid a few times. So he's not just looking for a good time, he actually cares about those around him and wants everyone else to have a good time. I just love how he talks to the camera/audience every once in a while or even just looks at us, and still manages to stay in character.

Ferris charms his best friend, Cameron, into hanging out with him. They pick up his girlfriend from school and the adventure begins. You really just have to watch it to see the lovely journey they have. I can't think of anything better to do on a day off. Seems to me like they really needed one since graduation is just right around the corner. This film is really amusing, Ferris reminds us that "Life moves pretty fast and if you don't stop and take a look around once in a while, you might miss it."

Its been more than 20 years since its release and it still sort of fits into what we now find funny or realistic. May be a little corny here and there but you do get a few good laughs, whether you're used to the gross out dirty comedies or dark humor.

To close off this post I just have to say that if you're looking for a feel good movie, something sweet and innocent to have a good laugh over.. here it is :]

A Clockwork Orange. [1]

First off, happy new years. Hope everyone had a lovely time and that you all have a lovely and fulfilling year <3.

I personally think this is a brilliant film. The camera shots are beautiful, the layout and settings show an exaggerated future clearly. The storyline has many different levels to it, you can look at it from a Christian or psychological level. Or maybe you get disgusted and never finish watching it.

The establishing shot really caught my eye, we get a close up on Alex's face and slowly pan out, we know this story doesn't take place during our time and that this guy isn't someone we want to mess with.

There are many scenes that this film is known for; the one I hear people talk the most about is the rape scene where Alex sings "Singing in the Rain." It just throws you off, how someone can sing such a lovely song while doing something so horrid. He holds a smile the whole time, its mesmerizing to me in a way the things that he finds pleasure in.

[I won't go into deep detail for those who for whatever reason haven't seen these films. I don't want to spoil them for you.]

He undergoes therapy to get the "bad" out of him, this leaves him feeling a "deathlike paralysis with deep feelings of terror and helplessness" whenever he witnesses or tries to do something cruel or something that would make most people sick. I don't know about you, but I find myself feeling bad for the guy. They condition these feelings into him, he's lost himself, he can't even listen to his favorite classical music without wanting to off himself. The doctors who are in control of this therapy claim that he will be "healthier" that being nauseated at the sight of such crimes is the correct feeling, the right feeling.

The tables have turned on little Alex. He is set free because he's "cured." He runs into trouble and can't protect himself. He ends up at the wrong place and tries to end the misery he's been put in. All the hard work from the therapy is gone. He's old Alex; he can laugh at pain and smile at agony.

The theme of this film questions conditioning. It is said that conditioning will help us sort of create the world we want but his new found "goodness" is forced upon him, its involuntary. "Good should come from the inside." Alex thought that he could fool anyone and still be the monster he is and get out of prison with this therapy. The odds were against him, he was changed. In the ending we see the government buy him back and try to cover up their tracks. He's a monster once again.

Random fact:

Pretty sure you've heard this one by now but during the therapy sessions where Alex has his eyes forced open he actually scratched a cornea during filming and was temporarily blind. Not only did that happen but he also cracked a few ribs during filming.

[I won't rate these films, they're all classics. I'll give you the heads up that I'm not that good at finding themes and the real deep meanings in films. I end up losing myself in them and forget that I have to look at them from a cognitive point of view. I hope to not disappoint, I just want to become a better writer and come up with new ways of thinking. This closes off my first post.]